Governor: Let's Figure Out What Went Wrong Later

Warner's Callers Reflect Frustration

RICHMOND — Gov. Mark R. Warner on Thursday acknowledged problems in the emergency response after Hurricane Isabel, but he said now is not the time to find out what went wrong.

Speaking on his monthly call-in show on WRVA radio in Richmond, Warner said he believed the problem of ice supply had been resolved.

"We can figure out what went wrong and what went right after the fact," he said.

Local government officials, many of them in Hampton Roads, have voiced their frustration with the joint state-federal recovery effort. Critical supplies have been slow to arrive.

Others have had trouble navigating the bureaucracy, which requires requests in proper format.

There is also tension between state and federal officials over who is responsible for the delays.

At a press conference later in the day, federal and state emergency officials said they are continuing to ship truckloads of ice to the region as fast as possible.

Ice has been a major point of concern.

Michael Cline, state emergency coordinator, said Wednesday's frustration reflected in news accounts did not hamper cooperation between the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nor did it affect workers in the field.

Asked if state officials were getting along with their federal counterparts, he said, "We never stopped. We really didn't."

The callers Thursday reflected the growing frustration of many Virginians who remain without electricity one week after the hurricane tore through the state. Some asked about the feasibility of burying power lines or passing laws that require utilities to prepare in advance of an impending storm.

Burying power lines comes down to a debate over cost, the governor said.

"You bury the lines, you have a problem with a line underground, you gotta dig it up," he said. "I think that's going to be one of the things we've got to look at as we recover from this storm."

As for requiring utilities to make emergency preparations, he noted that Dominion had 7,000 workers in place before the storm hit. He questioned the wisdom of putting specific requirements on utilities after a storm that appears to be a once-in-generation event.

Other callers praised the efforts of Dominion, which now has 11,000 workers trying to restore electricity and rebuild its network.

Lisa, a caller whose power was restored Wednesday, said: "The workers, too, are frustrated. They are away from their families and they are working hard to restore our power. We need to understand what they go through."

Hugh Lessig can be reached at (804) 225-7345 or by e-mail at hlessig@dailypress.com